Officers stopped Patricico Patterson, 46, about 12:55 a.m. near West Harding Way and North Center Street for driving a motorcycle with expired registration, the Highway Patrol said. During the traffic stop, officers learned Patterson was on probation, authorities said, allowing officials to search him.

While searching Patterson, officers discovered forged checks, bank account statements, driver's licenses and Social Security cards bearing other people's names and photographs, the CHP said. Officers later searched Patterson's laptop computer, a thumb drive and his cellphone, where they found more evidence of identity theft, including a computer program that allowed Patterson to alter driver's licenses by replacing names and photos, authorities said.

Patterson was arrested on suspicion of identity theft and forgery, the CHP said.